The rim of the indoor swimming pool was, until yesterday, occupied by the’ wedding cake’ inside steps of the outdoor pool, laid on their side.

But yesterday the steps were carried up to the new shed.

They weren’t put in the shed because they would have filled it; instead they were hidden behind it.

By complete serendipity, about half an hour before we moved the steps, the dustmen came by and complained their vehicle was bashing our tree and would we prune it. We were able to use the steps for this purpose on their way to the shed – perfect!

To reward myself for all this planning and labour, I put two terracotta pots on the rim of the pool to complement the marble fish mosaic.